Elemental
by Seph7
Summary: AU story. HaldirOC. Gandalf and Haldir search another world for someone who will help Middle Earth overcome the threat the Drow Elves are now inflicting upon their world. With most of the elves now in the Undying Lands, the elven cities are prime targets.
1. Portal

Disclaimer: Not mine! Although I wish Haldir was! 

This is my first LotR fanfic, and if it jumps in too fast, I apologise, but it sort of wrote itself. Unfortunately, I am a self confessed Haldir fan/obsessor/fantaciser. He is the one who comes to Aragorn's aid at Helms Deep in the Two Towers film. Unfortunately, he dies in that film, although he does not die in the books. They guy who played him in the films id Craig Parker, and he makes the most sexy, gorgeous elf I have ever laid eyes on!

Ok, enough rambling, I am working on my other fics aswell, but this insisted on being written.

Also, writing in italics denotes elvish. Am really bad with the language, except for a few words!

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It had been a long day. All Alex wanted was to have a bath and go to bed. Work had been a nightmare. She still worked fulltime as a receptionist, meeting and greeting clients and customers all day long. Today had been a busy day. She was still struggling to get herself published, and so had resigned herself to working fulltime until that happened. She hated every minute of it. She wanted nothing more than to have unlimited time to write. It seemed that was not about to happen anytime soon.

She reluctantly dragged herself out of her relaxing bath, and collapsed into bed. She drifted off relatively quickly and had been asleep for about an hour, when a thud awoke her. She bolted upright and saw a dark figure standing on the opposite side of the room. She threw the covers off and reached down underneath the bed for the dagger she kept there, in case of situations like this. Her hand never closed around the dagger as someone grabbed her from behind. The mystery person gripped her tightly around the waist and held a knife to her throat. She could still see the figure on the other side of the room as it moved towards the door. The person behind her held her tightly. She could smell the woody scent of pine and wildflowers coming from behind her. It was strangely comforting, despite the knife at her throat.

The figure closed the door, and flicked on the light switch. Alex gasped when she saw who the person was, or at least, whom he looked like. He was the spitting image of Gandalf from LotR. He simply smiled at her and sat down on her dresser stool.

"Haldir, you can let her go now," the Gandalf look-a-like said calmly.

The person holding her lowered the knife and let go of her waist. He moved away and stood next to the Gandalf look-a-like. She had recognised the name Haldir, but it wasn't until she saw his face did she realise why. He looked like the image of an elf, more specifically, the March Warden Haldir. He was tall, at least 6 feet 2, and had long silvery white hair. His eyes were a blue colour. Not deep, but not pale either. He was broad across the chest and shoulders, and was armed to the teeth. He had a bow and quiver on his shoulders, a dagger on his right hip and a long sword on his left. His face had a rather non-threatening look to it and he was looking straight at her with curiosity. His pointy ears were clearly visible and looked incredibly real.

Alex blinked a few times, trying to take in the scene before her. The only logical explanation was that she was dreaming. Here they were though, in her bedroom, Gandalf the White and Haldir of Lorien. She thought she was losing her mind.

"Are you quite alright, my dear?" Gandalf asked

"Hmm? Oh, um…" was all she could manage.

"I expect you are a little shocked to find us here. Quite understandable. I assure you, we intend no harm towards you," he tried to reassure.

Alex opened her mouth, but found nothing would come out. She had been sat on her haunches since Haldir had let go of her, and her feet were starting to get pins and needles in them. She moved them out from under her and sat on the edge of the bed, unsure what to say or do.

"We have been sent here, because the people of Middle Earth need your help," Gandalf explained.

Alex went wide-eyed at the words 'Middle Earth'. Surely, this was a joke. He couldn't possibly be serious. Middle Earth was fiction. Wasn't it?

"What did you say?" Alex whispered.

"Middle Earth needs your help," Gandalf repeated.

"Ok, now I know I'm dreaming," Alex admonished.

"I can assure you, we are very real."

"I feel it necessary to apologise for my previous actions. We were unsure if we had been brought into the world we were searching for. I mean you no ill harm," Haldir said.

"World? You both come from another world?" Alex asked.

"Yes, by means of a portal. It's not an exact science and we could quite easily have ended up in the most undesirable of places," Gandalf explained.

"You mean, you come from a world where Middle Earth is real?"

"Of course. Surely you know about our world?" Gandalf asked.

"Yes, but it's not real. It's fiction. Your world is the creation of…"

"Tolkien," Gandalf finished.

"Yes… how did you know that?"

"Because he was a druid. He travelled to our world some time ago, and spent time with each of the races, gathering information. It was after the demise of Sauron that he disappeared. He must have come back here. As I understand it, he wrote books about our world. So you will know all about what happened."

"Yes, most people do, but I don't understand. What could you want with me?" Alex asked.

"You have control over the elements, do you not?"

"Yes, but how…"

"Then you are the person we have been looking for. Haldir has been assigned as your personal Guardian. I am to be your guide, until we reach Lothlorien."

"You want me to go back with you to your world?"

"You can't very well help us from here," Gandalf replied.

"What is it exactly that you need me to do?"

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you. You will be told once we reach Lorien. We must leave at once," Gandalf stated, rising from the stool.

"Wait! I can't just drop everything and leave! I have family, a job, and bills to pay!"

"When you return here, it will be at the exact moment you left. Nothing will have changed."

It was so much to take in, and she hadn't been given a lot of time in which to digest this information. She had long since believed in parallel worlds, and worlds in other dimensions, but to have two people come from a world she thought was only fiction, was enough to cause anyone to think they were losing their mind.

Deciding to go along with it, she packed a bag, and got herself dressed in some jeans and cowboy style boots. They were the sturdiest she owned and were comfortable enough to wear for long periods. She debated whether she should take her Spellbook with her, but figured it would simply be a burden.

"Do you own any weapons?" Gandalf asked as she packed.

"A couple, why?"

"Bring them. They may be needed."

Alex placed her dagger on her belt, and put her Sais in the bag. She had never mastered the long sword or archery, but was adept at hand-to-hand combat. She was beginning to get worried about what they might encounter while travelling to Lorien. Did Gandalf expect them to be attacked?

She didn't get chance to ask. Gandalf opened a portal right there in her living room and instructed Haldir to go first. He then pushed Alex through forcefully, causing her to land right on top of Haldir, kneeing him in the groin in the process. He let out a strangled grunt, but did not shout or push her off.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Alex exclaimed, scrambling to her feet.

"It's quite alright," he replied, gracefully getting up.

Gandalf stepped through calmly and smiled at the pair, clearly pleased with himself. Haldir sent a mild glare in Gandalf's direction, which was simply ignored, and started walking.

The portal had landed them in the middle of Fangorn Forest, approx 200 miles SSW of Lothlorien. The forest, like any other forest was not without its dangers, but both Haldir and Gandalf knew it well. Gandalf lead the way while Haldir brought up the rear. They walked almost 30 miles that first day, only taking two breaks for food and rest before settling down for the night in a secluded brush area.

Alex settled down onto a blanket Haldir had laid down for them. Gandalf had sat himself under a nearby tree, smoking from a pipe. Haldir lay down next to her and looked up at the stars. They looked the same from Middle Earth as they had from Alex's world. She knew it was little comfort to make out familiar constellations; she would still never be able to sleep. She rarely did these days, not since her fiancé had left her 6 months earlier. She found it difficult to drift off into sleep without the comfort of a warm body next to her. It seemed completely stupid, but no matter how hard she tried, she simply could not sleep for more that a couple of hours a night, no matter how exhausted she was.

Gandalf sensed she was having trouble sleeping, and when looking into her mind, could see why. He could not afford for her to be tired, they would be travelling for most of the week.

"_Haldir, she will not sleep unless given comfort," _he informed him.

"_Are you asking me to take her?" _Haldir asked incredulously.

"_No of course not, unless you want to... No, I simply need you to give her a body to sleep next to. She finds it difficult sleeping alone. We do not have the option of leaving her too tired to travel."_

"_I understand," _Haldir replied.

He then set about making a pillow from his cloak and settled onto his side facing Alex. He then opened his arms and gestured for her to move closer. Alex looked at him in confusion, and then looked at Gandalf.

"What did you tell him to do?" she asked him.

"That he should comfort you," Gandalf replied nonchalantly.

"Why would I need to be comforted?"

"So that you can get some sleep. We cannot afford to have you tired while travelling. The more sleep you can get the better, and if Haldir can help in that respect, he will."

Alex looked to Haldir who still had his arms outstretched. He didn't look in the least bit disturbed or uncomfortable and waited patiently for her to lie down next to him. He immediately put an arm under her neck and pulled her close, pulling a blanket over them. He folded his other arm over her and placed it gently on the small of her back, keeping her pressed against his chest, her head resting under his neck.

She could smell the earthy scent again, and it was surprisingly soothing. The heat radiating from him was more than sufficient in keeping her warm. She felt so comfortable nestling herself against his muscular chest, which felt surprisingly soft. It took only minutes for her to fall asleep.

It had been decades since Haldir felt such a soft body pressed against him. It felt strange at first, mostly because she was a human woman. She was fully grown, but to him, she was still incredibly young. He felt his protective side overshadowing almost all reason as he pulled her closer.

He stole a look down at her face as she slept, and gently moved a strand of golden hair away from her face. She looked delicate and peaceful, and snuggled closer.

Alex awoke several hours later with a start, when she heard a monstrous thundering sound.

"What the hell was that?" she whispered.

"Look," Haldir pointed to Gandalf who had fallen asleep against a nearby tree.

He was snoring loudly, but still had his eyes open. Alex covered her eyes and dropped her head back down onto Haldir's arm.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked.

"Almost 3 hours," he replied.

"Great. I won't sleep now."

"Of course you will. Let me help you. Look at me," he said.

She looked up into his eyes. They were full of kindness and strength, and were practically hypnotising. She felt her own eyes grow heavy, as he moved and hand to stroke her cheek. She could no longer keep her eyes open and fell asleep once more. His warm body and delicious scent making her cling tighter to him.

She slept more soundly and peacefully than she had in months, not waking up once after her initial shock of Gandalf snoring. Haldir had also fallen asleep despite his intentions to remain awake. He awoke to the feel of tingling coming from one of his nipples. He looked down and saw Alex circling a finger round it. She was clearly still asleep, and completely unaware of what she was doing to him.

He moved a hand up to stop her, but she responded by throwing her arm around him, grabbing hold of the back of his tunic, and threw a leg over his hip. She pressed herself tightly against him, her core now pressing against his morning erection. This contact actually elicited a gasp from him.

He looked down at her and could see her stirring. She opened her eyes slowly and looked up at him, blinking a few times in realisation. But before she could remove herself, Haldir had rolled them over several times, landing them deep in thick bushes. She had no time to react or protest as she heard the loud thuds of a sword hitting flesh, and the grunts of a body being cut in two. It lasted less than thirty seconds.

"It is safe to come out now," Gandalf called into the bush.

Haldir shifted his position, as he was lying in-between her legs. This movement caused his length to press up hard against her, causing her to gasp. Haldir looked at her, and suddenly realised why she had reacted in surprise. He pulled himself off her.

"My apologies," he mumbled before moving out of the bush and out of sight.

Gandalf extended a hand to help Alex out of the bush. She looked around and saw the dead creature. It was strangely elf like, although its skin was much darker and its teeth were bared. There was also no sign of Haldir.


	2. The Drow Elf

Here is the next chapter, I hope it is progressing well!

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"Have I done something wrong?" Alex asked Gandalf.

"No, of course not. He won't be long," he replied, handing her some elven bread.

Haldir was about 100 yards away from Gandalf and Alex, resting a hand against a tree as he massaged himself to completion. It had been far too long since he'd taken the liberty of giving himself pleasure. A sexual drive, he thought had long since been forgotten, had suddenly sprung to life since meeting Alex. He was unsure if it was she that was affecting him, or merely the fact that he had been in close proximity to a woman after so many years.

His ministrations were unrestrained, his free hand gripping the tree as he panted and groaned, feeling his release become imminent. He felt the telltale pull of his sac and the pooling in his abdomen, before his sweet seed shot out over the bottom of the tree trunk.

"_Aiya, Valar!" _he exclaimed as the last of his seed was spent.

He hastily cleaned himself up, and composed himself before returning to the others.

Alex noted that his face now looked completely impassive. It had none of the warmth and patience it had held previously; although it did not bear the stern appearance, she had expected after their little altercation in the bushes.

They all ate quickly and quickly walked on through the forest. There had been little talk of the Drow elf that had attacked that morning, and they had come across no more since. They made good progress through the forest, and Gandalf assured them that they would be clearing it by the following day.

It seemed a little strange to Alex, that they had taken her out of her life on the blind faith that she really did have powers. They had not asked for a demonstration and had not spent much time asking her about her family, or how she had come to have these powers in the first place. They seemed to simply know.

They managed to find a secluded spot to settle for the night. Alex didn't assume that she would be able to sleep in Haldir's arms again, and so tried desperately to get to sleep on her own. It was useless. She thought with being so physically, she would naturally fall asleep, but she had had no such luck. She simply resigned herself to lying quietly for the night, so as not to disturb Gandalf and Haldir.

It wasn't until an hour later when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder that she realised that she had been daydreaming. She couldn't even remember what it was she had been dreaming of. The hand pulled her shoulder so she was lying flat.

"Do you need assistance?" Haldir asked quietly.

"Um, I thought you would be asleep by now?" she replied.

"Elves can go for days without a full nights sleep. You, however, cannot. If my holding you will allow you to slumber, then I will oblige," he stated.

She slowly turned to face him and he placed an arm under her neck and pulled her close. It felt almost natural to do this; she seemed to fit in his arms. She was by no means like any elf he had ever been with. She was several inches shorter than he was, and was not lithe like elven women were. She had a curvaceous, womanly figure, though she did not look remotely unfit. Her hair was of a sun kissed golden colour and was mostly curly. She kept it pinned back in a ponytail, leaving her very human ears on display. They looked very delicate, and Haldir suddenly wondered if they served the same purpose as elven ears did.

For elves, their ears as well as being used for hearing, the tips of the ears were incredibly sensitive erogenous zones. He began to imagine what it would be like to have her caress his ears as she had caressed his nipple the previous night.

He shook the thoughts out of his mind, and noticed that she had once again fallen asleep quickly once in his arms. She looked peaceful as her fingers wound themselves round a silvery strand of his hair. He found himself drifting off to sleep as he was staring at her sleeping form.

Gandalf was awake for most of the night and watched as Haldir and Alex clung tightly to each other as they slept. He watched as Alex shuffled herself closer and flung and arm and leg over him, causing him to grip the leg flung over his hip. His hand ran up the length of her thigh and came to rest on her bottom. His thumb drew light circles over it as Alex ran her hand up and down his back. Gandalf smiled widely at the sight of them, knowing that neither had a clue what the other was doing.

The sounds of birds awoke Alex the next morning. As she became accustomed to the morning light, she became aware of the hand gripping her bottom, which made her even more aware of her leg thrown over his hip. She tried to move his hand from her, but he simply gripped her tighter. She looked up at him and could see he was still sleeping. She desperately needed to relieve herself, and so reached up to pinch the tip of his ear. He immediately opened his eyes at the sensation and looked down at her.

"Sorry, I tried to get up without waking you, but you had a hold of me a little too tight," she said quietly.

He immediately released her and she went off into some bushes. Haldir got up and looked to Gandalf. He was still grinning inanely.

"_I was only endeavouring to keep her safe," _Haldir told Gandalf.

"_Of course you were. I wasn't about to insinuate otherwise," _Gandalf replied, still smiling.

"_Good. You can wipe that grin off your face."_

Haldir mentally slapped himself for gripping hold of her in such a way. He'd have to stop falling asleep when he held her, or stop holding her altogether. However, he knew she would never sleep if left alone. It did seem a little strange to him for a grown woman not to be comfortable with her own company. He had to admit, he did not know why, and assumed that whatever Gandalf knew, must have had some sort of affect on her. What disturbed him the most was that he didn't mind comforting her. It felt good to have someone warm to sleep next to.

Alex came back and they ate in silence. They made tracks out of the forest and crossed the expanse between the forest and the Golden Woods of Lothlorien. Haldir told them that none of his people guarded the outer most regions of the forest, since their numbers were now so few, with most going over the sea. It would be several days before they reached the city. It was starting to get dark.

Things seemed a lot quieter in the Golden Woods that they had been in Fangorn Forest. It was almost eerie. The trees were indeed large and very beautiful. Alex could feel a strange sort of connection to them. It was not something she had ever experienced before. The trees felt alive, and not in the basic sense.

They had walked through the forest for less than a mile when Haldir and Gandalf both stopped. They looked worried and rather anxious.

"We are being followed," Gandalf said quietly but surely.

"The Drow must know we entered," Haldir replied.

"Where are they? I can't see or hear anything," Alex whispered.

"Behind us, to the left," Gandalf said.

"What do we do?" Alex whispered nervously.

"Run!" Gandalf replied.

Haldir and Gandalf set off in a run with Alex trying desperately to keep up. Her legs weren't as long as theirs and so found it difficult. She used all the energy she could muster and was only a few yards behind when she looked back and saw one of those dark elves chasing after them. In her haste, she stumbled on a large branch, falling flat onto her face. Haldir heard the thud of her falling and ran back to help her.

"Quickly!" he exclaimed, trying to pull her up.

"I'm stuck!" she winced as he tried pulling her.

He quickly grabbed her foot and yanked it from the branches. She cried out as she felt it twist free. He pulled her to her feet, and pulled her arm around his shoulders.

"We won't outrun it like this!" she said to him, watching as the dark elf drew closer.

Haldir made a split second decision. He pulled her free from him and turned his back.

"Climb on my back!" he ordered.

"You can't run with both of us to carry!" she tried to argue.

"Do it, quickly!" he yelled.

She threw an arm around his neck, placed the other under his arm and hung on tight, trying to clamp her knees to his hips. He bolted quickly for a nearby tree and climbed it effortlessly, putting at least 60 feet between them and the ground before stopping. Haldir seemed to have hand and foot holes that were not visible to the eye, and yet he seemed quite comfortable in his stance up the tree.

Alex was holding on as tightly as possible, and watched as the elf came into the clearing, searching for signs of them. Alex was watching as he looked around sniffing at the branch she had tripped over. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she was breathing heavily in Haldir's ear.

"What do we do?" she asked in barely more than a whisper.

"Wait for him to move on," Haldir replied.

"What if he doesn't? Can he climb trees?" she asked worriedly.

"No, they live mainly underground. They have no woodland experience. Can you not utilise your abilities to move him away?"

"No, I need both hands free, and we are too far away for it to do him any kind of damage."

Alex thought for a moment, and then she noticed his bow hanging from his right shoulder. She pulled it off and moved it down towards his hand.

"You do not know how to use that," he said.

"No, but you do," she replied.

"My hands are rather busy at this moment in time," he said in a rather sarcastic tone.

"You can aim, and I'll shoot."

He lifted his hand quickly from the tree to free the bow. She then brought it over his to his left hand. He shifted his position in order to free his hand and took the bow. Alex quickly reached into his quiver, and took out an arrow and placed it in the bow. She found it difficult in her position, and had to clamp her feet around his waist, pressing uncomfortably into his groin. This allowed her a better position to lean over his shoulder to pull the arrow taut against the bow.

Haldir shifted the bow to align it with the elf. He focused for several moments, making sure that Alex was not going to slip.

"Tell me when," she whispered.

He waited a few seconds.

"Now!" he ordered.

Alex let go of the arrow, and it landed straight in the neck of the elf. Gandalf then appeared and swiftly cut off the head of the elf. He looked up, saw Haldir and Alex up a tree, and motioned for them to come down.

Haldir made light work of climbing down and Alex gingerly got off his back, trying to put weight on her twisted ankle. Haldir then picked her up and followed Gandalf to a secluded area with lots of trees. Gandalf then set about placing some strange crystals around them, which Alex could only assume was to keep them protected and invisible from attackers.

Haldir quickly took off her boot and pulled out some strange leaves from his cloak. He bound them around her ankle. She could feel a warm tingling sensation spreading through her leg.

"It should be healed by morning," Haldir told her.

"Thank you," she said, grabbing his arm as he turned away, "for saving me," she added.

"It is my duty," he replied.


	3. Frustrating Circumstances

I hope people like how this is progressing. If there is something I can improve upon, please feel free to email me, or leave a review. I will reply to every single one!

Thanks Medea honey! Glad you like it!

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Alex felt a little unimportant by Haldir's previous statement of 'It is my duty'. Not only was she starting to feel like a burden, she had pretty much displayed all the characteristics of a helpless damsel in distress. She felt utterly useless. To top it all off, she still couldn't get to sleep on her own. She refused to ask for help this time, and shut her eyes tight and concentrated on breathing slowly and steadily, hopefully giving the appearance of sleep.

She could quite honestly say, she was feeling as useful and welcome as a box of paperclips in a magnet factory.

Just when she thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She tried to ignore it, but the tap got more insistent. She bolted up and glared at the person doing the tapping. It was Haldir.

"Do you require assistance?" he asked softly.

"No," Alex replied harshly.

"I would like to help," he added.

"Why? Because it's your duty?" she snapped at him, "leave me alone," she added.

He furrowed his brow in confusion, and looked to Gandalf.

"_Did I interpret her needs incorrectly?" _he asked the wizard.

"_No. She is starting to feel a little unimportant and perhaps a little subjugated. She feels as though she is a burden to you," _Gandalf replied.

"Do you have even the slightest notion of how incredibly rude that is?" she bellowed at them.

She pulled herself up, and limped over to a tree a few yards away and sat on the far side of it.

What the hell was I thinking? she thought to herself.

She felt completely foolish for letting herself get swept up in the mystery of it all. If she had been thinking straight and possibly, if she had had more time to think on it, she would never have agreed to come. She suddenly felt overwhelmed with feelings of home. True, she hated her job, but it was consistent and she felt needed. She felt quite out of her element here. Which was a strange concept, considering she was surrounded by nature; it wasn't the kind of nature she was use to.

She scooted down and curled up under the tree. She awoke in the morning with Haldir's cloak over her. She couldn't remember falling asleep, and found it astonishing that she had slept all night.

She figured she would have to make some sort of appearance, and so grudgingly got to her feet, folding up the cloak as she did. She walked over to where Gandalf and Haldir were eating quietly, and it wasn't until she sat down, that she realised that her ankle had healed completely.

She handed Haldir his cloak and he in turn handed her some Lembas.

"Is your ankle still sore this morning?" he asked calmly.

"No, thank you, its fine," she replied, not looking him in the eyes.

"If it begins to pain you, I have more herbs to bind it with."

"I'm sorry, about what I said. I shouldn't have taken my frustrations out on you, especially not after you saved my life," she said quietly.

"On the contrary, had you not have been in that tree with me, I would not have been able to kill that elf. It was your idea to use the bow," he replied.

"It was you who knew how to aim it correctly."

"And you whom let the arrow go."

"You had to tell me when," she argued, smiling at him.

"Could you both possibly continue this argument later? We still have a day or two before we reach the city," he said, giving the both a stern look, but was smiling none the less.

Alex giggled as Haldir smiled silently, getting to his feet and pulling Alex with him. They carried on walking without any further discrepancies. They walked mostly in silence until they stopped for a break.

"I think it's going to rain," Alex commented.

"How can you tell? There's hardly a cloud in the sky," Gandalf asked.

"I can feel it. It's in the air," she replied, looking up towards the canopy of trees above her, and watching the clouds form above them.

Sure enough, several minutes later, the heavens opened, and drenched them completely.

"I can stop this, if you like?" Alex said.

"Is it wise to use your powers like that? Isn't that what you would call personal gain?" Gandalf warned.

"Not exactly. I won't be making the clouds disappear; I'll simply be clearing a path, separating them."

Alex got to her feet, stood head and palms facing upwards, and concentrated hard. Gandalf and Haldir watching with interest, and noticed her eyes change appearance. Her pupils dilated and turned into slits and her irises changed colour from her usual jade green, to and icy blue. The clouds above her parted and caused the rain to part with them. Several yards to either side of the group, the rain continued. Alex lowered her hands and head and her eyes returned to normal. She stumbled a little, and Haldir was immediately at her side and caught her before she fell to her knees.

"Thanks, I'm a little out of practice," she admonished.

"Don't worry, give yourself a moment to right yourself," he said calmly.

"Thank you. I'm ok now," she said, pulling herself off him.

"How long will this last?" Gandalf asked.

"Until the clouds part naturally, we should be rain free until we reach the city, or until the clouds dissipate."

Gandalf was secretly impressed at her show of magic, as he had been hesitant to ask her to demonstrate before now. He had had no doubts that she was the one they were looking for, he had sensed the magic in her, but had found it curious that she had waited until now to demonstrate it.

They walked the path that had been parted for them, and had managed to dry off by the time they settled down for the night. As usual, Alex tried to sleep by herself, only to be tapped on the shoulder by Haldir.

"I shouldn't keep expecting you to do this," she said as she turned over into his arms.

"Why not? I do not mind, and it allows you to sleep," he replied.

She was too tired to argue with him, and settle down against his chest. He was wonderfully warm and his scent was intoxicating. The feel of his hard, warm chest under her head and finger made her mind go into overdrive. She found it difficult in drifting off to sleep as her mind had other ideas. She started to picture him in a completely different way. She started to imagine him taking hold of her, kissing her, undressing her, caressing her and making love to her. Her mind was doing double time when Haldir shifted his position.

"Are you alright?" he whispered, shaking her out of her reverie.

She quickly sat up and looked away, blushing madly.

"Yes, just can't sleep," she rushed out.

"Am I doing something wrong? Were you not comfortable?"

"No, I mean yes, I was. My mind is still a little active right now."

She got up and looked over at Gandalf who was grinning widely at her. She scowled at him and walked away.

"_Did I do something to upset her?" _Haldir asked him.

"_No, quite the opposite. I believe she is beginning to see you in a completely new light," _he replied with a smile on his face.

Haldir thought about his comment, and suddenly realised what Gandalf meant. He looked at the wizard with wide eyes. The wizard simply laughed.


	4. New Experiences

Thanks to everyone who is reading, I hope things are still going ok. If there is anything that you would like to see happen, or would like clarifying, please review or message me!

**Chapter 4**

Alex was sat behind a tree, looking up at the stars. She was desperately trying to get the images of Haldir, inflagrante, out of her mind. It was proving impossible. The mere thought of him made her feel nervous, and excited at the same time. She felt like a silly teenager with her first crush. She had to calm herself down before she returned to Gandalf and Haldir. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind, and didn't hear Haldir approach her. She jumped as he sat down next to her.

"Forgive me, I did not intend to startle you," he said softly.

Alex smiled weakly and turned her head away, desperately trying to hide the blush that had instantly flourished her face. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest, and was sure he could hear it. Her hands started to shake and she began to feel a little nauseous. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to stem the nerves. Why was she affected by him? And why after such a short time? She had been fine up until lying with him earlier. Hadn't she? Or had she simply not noticed how truly captivating he was. She had never seen anyone so beautiful. Even some of the most handsome men in her world were nothing compared to him. He could make even the most striking of roses look dull and bland.

She didn't notice him reach a hand out to pull back strands of her hair from her face. She reached up instinctively and grabbed his hand, whipping her head round to look straight into his eyes. She made to let go of his hand, but he kept hold and brought it down to his lap. Her shaking grew worse.

"You are shivering, are you well?" he asked, the concern evident in his voice.

"I… I'm ok, just…" she stammered.

"Perhaps you are over tired. Let me help you," he said, bringing his other hand around her waist.

He pulled her closer to him and let go of her hand. He brought his, now free hand, up to her face and lifted her chin. He stared deeply into her eyes, with the intent of bringing her to a slumber. She did not fall so easily this time, and found he needed to delve a little into her mind. He immediately saw what had been troubling her. He saw the images she had been plagued with when she fled from him earlier. Gandalf had been right. She had fallen so easily. He did not intend to entice her in any way, but he too found himself unable to quell feelings of longing. He simply had better control over them. As an elf of over 3000 years life, he had gained control of, not only his body, but his mind, and while he certainly felt things as strongly as ever, they no longer consumed him. Humans did not have this discipline of the elves, and were so often ruled by their emotions and desires.

He dipped his head down, while she was lost in her thoughts, thoughts he had deliberately pushed to the forefront of her mind, and touched his lips to hers. He moved them slowly and gently, feeling her intake of breath through her nose, and hearing her heart quicken. He parted his lips and dipped his tongue into the cleft of her lips. She parted her lips upon feeling his tongue, and welcomed him into her mouth. He dipped his tongue slowly onto hers and caressed her into a response. She lifted her tongue and he stroked the underside. He pulled her tighter to him and could feel her arousal build. He was suddenly very aware of her scent. He could smell her heat. It was unlike anything he had smelt before. No elleth he had ever been with had ever had this scent. Theirs had been delicate and sweet. Hers was strong and musky, but still sweet. He could feel his groin responding eagerly to it, and desperately fought for control. He delved his mind deeper into hers, as he delved his tongue deeper into her mouth, and was finally able to induce sleep upon her. He felt her body go limp in his arms, and he pulled his lips away.

He picked her up and carried her back to their little camp. He laid her down with him and covered them both in a blanket. He tried to clear his mind of all previous thoughts and soon found himself drifting off.

Gandalf watched amusedly as Haldir and Alex clung to each other as they slept. He watched as Alex turned over, only to have Haldir wrap his arms around her chest and nuzzled his nose into her neck. He insinuated his leg between hers, pressing hard against her crotch. His right hand drifted from under her neck and grasped hold of her breast, causing her to buck her hips backwards hard against his leg, pressing her bottom into his growing length. He groaned deep in his throat. She turned again to lie on her back, with Haldir pressed up against her side, with his right arm still under her neck. She slung her right leg to join her left, which was now resting on top of his. His left hand was stroking circles across her stomach, and had slowly gathered up her top to trace circles on her skin.

Neither had awoken during their movements, and Alex remained asleep as Haldir moved his hand lower. He undid the button of her jeans, but could go no further due to the zip. He couldn't get the zip down as he had no idea how to, leaving Alex to pull it down herself. She tried to shove her own hand into her knickers, but is stopped by Haldir, who beat her to it.

Gandalf takes this as a cue to leave them to it, and wanders off to sit further away.

Haldir ran a finger slowly through her hot, moist folds, brushing past her nub and eliciting a moan from her. He awoke when he heard her moan, and could see her eyes were still closed. He was in two minds on whether he should stop, but she felt incredible. He could feel her soft hair tickling his hand. It felt unusual, as he was use to female elves, which were virtually hairless. It felt oddly arousing, and part of him wanted to see it.

He could feel her wetness surrounding his finger as he dipped lower and found her entrance. She bucked her hips upwards and impaled herself on his finger. The tightness of her sent a pulse straight to his groin. If it hadn't been for the lack of her maidenhead, he could have sworn she was a virgin.

He had his head pressed against her cheek and breathed in her scent. He felt dizzy as it engulfed his senses and became more alert to her moans and the gyrating of her hips. He opened his eyes and watched her face as the pleasure washed over her. He moved his finger inside her, curling it upwards to touch her g-spot as her moans increased in volume, her back arching into him.

He brought his lips to her neck and began licking and sucking, trailing kisses along her jaw. She turned her head away, only to be met by his right hand. She kissed his index finger, taking it forcefully into her mouth and sucking hard on it. Haldir gasped at the site of it and grew harder at the thought of her lips around him.

He increased his movements inside her and ground his palm down onto her mound. He felt her orgasm headily approaching and quickly removed his finger from her mouth as he felt teeth start to clamp down. She cried out and her eyes shot open. She had finally awoken as her orgasm swept violently over her, Haldir moving his finger inside her as fast as he could, to prolong her climax. Her hips bucked up one last time as her release subsided and her breathing slowed. Haldir stopped his ministrations, but kept his finger inside her, enjoying the feeling of her clenching around him.

She turned her head to him to face a relaxed smile. She couldn't say she felt violated, as she could clearly remember all that had happened, and had definitely wanted it to happen. She was a little stunned that it had happened at all. She never thought Haldir would ever want to touch her in such a way.

"That was a new experience," Haldir said coyly.

"What was?" Alex mumbled, blushing.

"The feel of you. Elven women feel much different," he stated.

Alex suddenly felt completely inadequate. She tried to move his finger out of her, but he held fast. He curled his finger upwards to brush against her spot, making her shiver.

"Please don't," she whispered.

"Why? Do you not like it?"

"I'm not an elven woman. How could I possibly compare to that?"

"Why would you want to compare to them?" he asked, incredibly confused.

"I know what they are like, how perfect they are, how beautiful they are. I'm a car wreck compared with something like that."

"You are different. Why do you assume that is a bad thing?"

"Why did you do this?" she turned suddenly, asking him quickly.

"Did you not enjoy it? It certainly sounded as though you did," he smirked.

"That's not the point. Please don't tell me you were doing your duty. This is way beyond the call of duty."

"I did not do it out of obligation. I did it because I wanted to."

"You said it was a new experience, was it all just to compare me to all the elf women you've been with? How did I rate?" she asked sarcastically.

"You don't compare to anyone," he answered plainly.

Alex looked at him disbelievingly and quickly got up. She quickly fastened her jeans and stood over him. He still looked confused. Why was she so angry?

"So, I was such a disappointing experience, you can't compare me to anyone you have had before?" she shouted.

"I did not make such a comment," he argued.

"Yes you did!"

"I stated that you do not compare, because I have never had the pleasure of a mortal before," he said standing up, "it was so different; it was unlike anything I have felt before. You are… smaller… than elven women," he added.

"You mean shorter?"

"No, I mean smaller, inside,"

"Inside?" Alex repeated, not understanding his meaning.

"The feel of you around my finger. It was… tight."

"Oh. Is that bad?"

"No, it was wonderful," he smiled genuinely.

"So… what do elven women feel like?" Alex asked, out of curiosity.

"Well, it was unusual to feel the hair. Elves, male and female, have no hair. At all. Except for on our heads."

"Not even, down there?" she asked, waving her hand over her crotch.

"Not even there. Would you like to see?" he offered, stepping forwards and undoing the laces of his leggings.

"Oh no, it's ok," she quickly answered.

"Also, you made noises."

"I made noises?"

"You were moaning as I was pleasuring you."

"Is that not normal?"

"Elven women are less vocal when engaging in pleasure. I must say I found it… arousing," he breathed.

The look in his eyes changed as he said this. He pictured her moaning beneath him, and could feel himself grow hard again.

"Oh," was all she could muster.

Before either of them could say more, Gandalf appeared from behind a tree. Haldir took one look at him, and sat back down. Alex joined him and lay down with her back to Haldir. He settled down behind her, automatically pressing himself against her, wrapping his arms around her. She felt she should protest, but he felt so good holding her in this way. It felt protective. It felt right.


	5. Feasts and Faux Pas

Thanks to all for the reviews, it's been great reading them. I also must reapond to a review left insigned by I.H.N. I anly wish you had left your email so I could respond properly. If you do not wish to read this response,scroll ahead to the story!

I must stress that this story is rather AU, and some elements I know don'y belong on Middle Earth, but it is only fanfic.

That said, I will explain a few things about the story. In response to Alex's powers, they are not off Middle Earth and therefore are in a league seperate to Galadriel, Elrond, and the like. Having said that, she is not all powerful or unlimited in said powers. Galadriel and Elrond had the rings of power at their disposal, whereas Alex's powers are inside of her. She has the power of the elements, that is, of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. They are not super powers, and are not the main focal point of this story. There is a little more to her powers, but I cannot say now, for it will spoil later chapters.

She cannot, for instanse, seize control of the weather, she simply moved the clouds, because as we all know, they are made of water. She cannot do what Galadriel did and make time run slower. She is by no means as powerful as Galadriel, nor does she have the gift of foresight.

As for the Drow, I made a booboo! When researching them for this story, I made the mistake of thinking that because they were dark eleves, they were from the books, but as it turns out, they are from Dungeons and Dragons! However, I did some more researching on them, and even though they do not belong in Middle Earth, I have decided to keep them as their descriptions fit well with the story. They do live in caves and are decidedly evil. they are dark skinned and silver haired, and become weak in the daytime.

And now on to Alex and Haldir's little indescretion. I know that it seemed rushed, but at the time of writing, it flowed out like that, and I felt loathe to remove it. It will be a one off for now, but there will be definite developments for them as time goes on, this is after all, a Haldir/OC story!

I also find it hard to believe that elves would not engage in sexual pleasure if they were not married or bonded or involved. Surely living forever would be a long time to go without sex! Alex is in the care of the elves, because they can protect her, and not the other way round.

Lastly, the return of Galdalf. I am aware that Valinor is a place and not heaven, which is why I decided to have him return, if not for the whole story, then certainly for part of it. People have come back from there in the past, I find it hard to believe that no-one could after the ring was destroyed, if that is what they wished?

I am by no means an expert on the books, and am currently re-reading The Fellowship. I apologise if things do not make sense, and would implore people to write a review stating what could be changed! I would love to hear from you!

To understand these comments better, see the review left by I.H.N.

Ok, now on to the next chapter!

**Chapter 5**

They didn't have far to walk the next day and were soon upon the city of Caras Galadhon. Upon entering the gates, they were summoned to the Lord Celeborn. They made their way up the long winding stairs to the dais on which Celeborn was waiting for them.

Gandalf appeared first and greeted the Lord followed by Haldir. Alex had no idea how she should address him, or if she should bow, thought she was loath to bow to anyone, regardless of his or her station. While Gandalf and Haldir were speaking to Celeborn, she noticed a woman standing beside him. She knew it couldn't be Galadriel as she had long since sailed into the west, and was curious as to who she was.

The woman extended a hand to Alex and smiled at her. Alex was a little taken aback at the woman's familiarity, but could not fault her on her warmth. She took the hand offered and allowed herself to be pulled forwards.

"I am Nelindé. I was chosen by Galadriel to watch over the people of the Golden Wood in her absence. I do not possess her power or wisdom, but was chosen for my gift of foresight. Our world is in danger. Our number is dwindling as more sail into the Undying Lands. The Drow are threatening to overtake our lands. We are too few to defend ourselves against all of them," the elf woman said.

"You want me to help you fight?" Alex asked.

"You misunderstand. We do not expect you to fight. We sent for you for your own protection."

"My protection? Against what?"

"Against the Drow. They have long since known of your existence and had made plans to capture you from your world. Had I not sent for you to be brought to us, you would be forced to use your abilities to help the Drow overtake our world," she explained.

"Why would they want me?"

"They want the other half to the whole."

"The what?"

"When did you last speak with your sister?" Nelindé asked.

"What has she to do with this?" Alex asked warily.

"She was taken before we could find her. They have her deep in their lands."

"What! When?"

"Several weeks ago. When we learned of her existence, it was too late. They cannot harm her while you are here. They need both of you for their plan to be implemented."

"Why would they need us?"

"They know of your abilities. They were particularly interested to learn of her abilities," she revealed.

"They know she can heal?"

"Yes, and they know she can kill. They would use you to bring darkness to our world. We cannot allow it."

"What about my sister?"

"We have not the elves or resources to try to rescue her. But they will not harm her while they need her."

"And what happens when they don't need her? Will you just let her die?" Alex shouted.

"She will not die. I have not foreseen her death occurring in our land."

"So you're not even going to try?" Alex continued shouting.

"My dear, we cannot simply march into their territory and demand they return your sister. We would be slain before we could respond," Celeborn spoke.

"Then what do we do?"

"Wait for reinforcements," Gandalf stated.

"From where?"

"I am to make haste to Gondor on the morrow. King Ellesar is aware of our plight and had agreed to receive counsel. This development affects all Middle Earth. If the Drow attack with the power of you and your sister at their side, they will be able to enslave most of these lands before we have a chance to fight back. While you are kept safe here, they cannot mobilise their armies."

Alex took a deep breath. This was far too much for her to take in. Her powers had never been useful for anything, and now she had a group of dark elves who wanted to use her and her sister to control the world.

"Haldir, since you were chosen to be her Guardian, she will stay with you. Your duties along the borders of our realm are rescinded until the Drow are defeated," Celeborn stated.

Haldir nodded and took Alex's arm. Alex glared at him and he let go.

"Do I not get a choice on where I will be staying?" she said. Folding her arms across her chest.

"I am afraid that there are no free flets for you to accommodate. Haldir is the only one with adequate room for you," Celeborn informed her.

"Fine. I suppose a bed is better than a forest floor," she admitted.

Haldir smiled at her and led her away from the others. He took her immediately to his talan on one of the highest flets in the city. It was rather unusual to see as it was made of thin wood and fabric walls. The door itself was a thin muslin type material and did not hide much of the inner dwelling. Upon entering, she could see a double sized bed set low to the floor, and another muslin type door to the far right. She assumed this lead to the bathroom, or possibly a kitchen. The main room itself was of medium size and had a few storage counters and a small desk and chair underneath a large open window. There seemed to be no glass in the window as it overlooked a balcony with no railings. He showed her to the bathroom and she saw a large wooden bath, sunk deep into the floor. There was a small basin with a single water outlet and a rather curious toilet contraption, also sunk into the floor. There did not appear to be a flush of any sort, and Alex began to wonder where the waste would go.

"Is this to your liking?" Haldir asked suddenly as she was looking around.

"Oh, yes. Just different to what I am use to," she answered.

"I will leave you to bathe and will see you at the feast," Haldir said, turning to leave.

"Wait, what feast?" she asked him.

"It has long since been our custom to have a feast when we have guests in our realm. I am to change in my brother's talan. A Guard will escort you to the feast when you are ready."

With that, he left her alone in the bathroom. She couldn't help but feel like even more of a burden now that he had left to change elsewhere.

She left the bathroom and immediately noticed that some clothing had been left on the bed. The gingerly picked up the item and it slid silkily between her fingers. It was some sort of white dress with much complex embroidery emblazoned down the front. She could see no sequins or crystals anywhere on it, but it glistened in the light of the room. She was unsure if she should where it, least because she couldn't possibly wear cowboy boots with it, that is, until she noticed a pair of white slipper-like shoes beside the bed. She tried them on, and was shocked to find that they fit perfectly. They didn't pinch or rub at all.

She placed the dress back down and went back to the bathroom to have a bath. She found only one water outlet and decided not to think too much on the fact that it let perfectly warm water through, filling the bath in a short space of time.

She undressed and immersed herself in the water. She let out a sigh of contentment and rested her head against the rim. Haldir had not bothered to tell her what time she was supposed to be ready for, so she relaxed and closed her eyes.

An hour later, Haldir was already at the feast and was beginning to wonder where Alex was. Surely, she would be ready by now. He saw the Guard who had been assigned to bring her, enter the Hall alone. Haldir approached him to ask where she was, when he was informed that there had been no answer to his calls. Haldir immediately left the Hall to see what was keeping Alex. Part of him worried that something had happened to her. He did not want to be responsible for her demise, while she was under his care. In fact, the last thing he wanted was for her to die at all.

He climbed the long ascending staircase to his flet quickly and entered the talan. He could see the clothes that had been left for her, were still on the bed. He went straight over to the bathroom and found her asleep in the bath. Her head was resting on its side and she had an arm covering her chest. He stepped over to her and knelt down beside her head.

"Alex," he called softly.

She shifted a little, but did not wake.

"Alex," he repeated a little louder.

Still nothing.

"Alex!" he half shouted.

She shot up flailing her arms around until she looked up to see Haldir hovering over her. She screamed and shot backwards in the water. She hastily covered herself with her arms.

"What are you doing!" she screamed at him.

"You are late. Lord Celeborn is expecting you to attend," he replied calmly.

"Oh, well, can I get dressed?" she replied still trying to cover herself.

"Of course," he replied stepping back.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you to dress."

"Can't you wait outside?" she said in a panic.

"If you wish," he replied leaving the bathroom.

Alex quickly finished washing and got out, wrapping herself tightly in a towel. The exited the bathroom to find Haldir stood by the door, waiting for her.

"I can't change with you in the room," she stated.

"Why not?" he asked

"Because I hardly know you!" she exclaimed.

"You knew me well enough to allow me to pleasure you," he reasoned.

"That was… different."

"I wouldn't fear it happening again. I was merely responding to your actions," he said before leaving the talan.

Alex stood with her mouth open. She couldn't believe he was blaming their little indiscretion on her! How could he hold her accountable for something she had responded to in her sleep? She decided not to think on it, as she was already late in going to the feast.

She quickly dressed in the clothes and shoes left for her and opened the muslin curtain that passed for a door to find that Haldir was not there. The Guard he had supplied was waiting for her and offered her his arm. She took it and he led her to the feast.

They arrived at the Hall to find most people seated around an angular horseshoe shaped, incredibly long table. Most stopped conversing when they saw the golden haired human enter. Alex suddenly felt very nervous and was aware of being on display. Many of the male elves looked at her with mild interest, some openly gazing at her body through the white dress she had put on. It had fit perfectly, but was obviously made originally for a more lithe body. It hugged her more, humanly woman figure, making every curve stand out.

She felt a heated flush suffuse her face as the elves continued to stare at her. She could see several female elves huddles together, muttering to themselves and looking pointedly at her. They were clearly speaking elvish and they did not attempt to hide the few sniggers that escaped their lips.

The Guard led her to a seat next to Nelindé and pulled out the chair for her to sit. He then nodded to her after she was seated and left the Hall.

The meal was pleasant and quite refreshing as it consisted of fine meat and vegetables, followed with the most succulent fruit she had ever tasted. It certainly beat eating Lembas!

She talked mostly to Nelindé and Celeborn as the tables were cleared and soft, tranquil music started to play. She watched as several couples danced together, and out of the corner of her eye, watched as Haldir danced with a tall female with incredibly soft, shiny hair.

She had tried desperately to ignore them all night, trying to immerse herself in the conversation with Celeborn and Gandalf about how she had come to have her powers. Unfortunately, she saw Haldir leave with the female smiling animatedly at him as she gripped his arm. She tried desperately to quash the feelings of jealousy that were quickly mounting as she watched them leave, and turned back to Celeborn. She felt stupid for letting her feeling get the better of her. Why should she care with whom he has affiliations with? She didn't have designs on him, did she?


	6. The Archer

Wow! I can't believe that it's been so long since I updated this story! I hadn't intended to leave it so long, but I haven't been inspired until now!

I hope the wait was worth it for you guys!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**The Archer**

Alex had spent most of the night talking at length about the Drow Elves with Celeborn, Nelindé and Gandalf. She learned that they were cave dwellers with dark skin and silver hair. She also learned that they rarely came out during the day, unless absolutely necessary. They weakened when in the presence of the sun, and as a result, wanted the whole of Middle Earth in constant night. This would allow them to leave their caves and try for supremacy over the land.

It was a lot to take in, like everything else had been over the last few days, and Alex was beginning to wonder whether anything would be done abou these Elves. Both Celeborn and Nelindé had reassured her that as soon as Gandalf returned with reinforcements, they would go to rescue her sister. There simply weren't enough elves left in Middle Earth to go alone.

Most of the elves at the feast had retired, and only Alex, Nelindé and Celeborn were still sat at the table. Celeborn noticed Alex stifle a yawn and motioned for a Guard to come forward.

"You must be exhausted. A Guard will escort you back to the talan," Celeborn announced.

"Oh, um, okay, thanks," Alex stuttered.

She had no time to protest as the Guard pulled the chair back and held out an arm for her to take. She reluctantly took the arm and allowed herself to be gently led out of the Hall. He led her to the foot of the talan and left her to climb up the winding staircase.

Upon entering the talan, she noticed that Haldir had not returned from wherever he had gone with the female elf. It bothered her slightly, but she tried not to dwell on it. She was far too tired to care much and quickly undressed, leaving her in her under things, and slid into the low bed, settling down in the middle. It smelled strongly of Haldir's earthy scent, and she found it surprisingly easy to drift off to sleep.

Haldir returned to his talan in the very early hours of the morning. He was alone, despite leaving with the female elf. He was also tired and looked forward to climbing into his bed. That was until he noticed the sleeping form of Alex, sprawled out in his bed. He sighed loudly, realising that he would not be able to move her over without waking her, and resigned himself to making a bed on the floor with his extra blankets.

He undressed himself, and thought nothing of settling into his makeshift bed, completely naked. It was simply what he was use to, and was not about to come over all-bashful because he had a guest staying with him.

Alex awoke in the morning to Haldir preparing some breakfast onto individual trays. She lifted herself into a sitting position, making sure the covers were pulled up under her chin and looked over at Haldir. She gasped at his nakedness, and turned her head away.

"Good, you are awake. I have had breakfast delivered," he said without turning to face her.

Alex turned her head back slightly and took in his form. He had been right when he said elves had no hair on their bodies. He was completely hairless. Not a single hair graced his legs as she scanned his calves.

Haldir turned to look at her, and watched as her eyes ran up his legs, and were met by his groin turned towards her. She couldn't take her eyes off him! There was, as he specified, no hair there either. However, it wasn't his lack of hair that had caught her attention. He was certainly much better equipped than the men she had been with. She felt herself become a little dizzy and a deep scarlet flush suffused her face.

"Do I please you?" he asked.

"Um, I… was just… curious. You meant what you said about having no hair," she stuttered.

"Of course," he replied, not bothering to cover himself and seeing her become increasingly embarrassed at his nakedness.

She was internally fighting with herself, telling herself she should turn her head, but she simply could not look away. It wasn't just seeing his more than generous length; it was all of him. He was glorious, magnificent, and beautiful. He was what words could never hope to adequately describe. His skin looked so silky, so shiny, as though it had been covered in oil. He was tall, but not as lean as most of the other elves she had seen. He was more muscular and broad shouldered. His chest was smooth but strong, and was begging to be caressed.

Alex finally lifted her gaze to his face and found him smiling amusedly at her. She turned her head away, desperately trying to rid herself of the images. Haldir smirked as he brought over a plate filled with fruit and bread and sat down next to her.

"Gandalf should be leaving soon for Gondor. I am unsure when he should return, but I do know he will be as quick as he possibly can," Haldir said.

"I still don't like the idea of my sister being left there. Anything could happen to her," Alex said, losing her appetite.

"She will not be harmed. They need her," Haldir assured her.

"Maybe."

"I must dress. I am to meet with Lord Celeborn and Nelindé. You may visit places in the city, if you wish," Haldir said, getting up and entering the bathroom.

Alex waited for him to leave before getting a bath and changing into her own clothes. More dresses had been left for her, but she felt more comfortable in her jeans.

She wandered out of the talan and down into the city. She hadn't gotten far when she noticed a group of Elves practicing their archery skills.

As she got closer, she noticed that one of them looked a lot like Haldir; although, all of the Elves here had long silvery blond hair, so she couldn't imagine looks were much to go by. He did seem to have a quiet confidence about him that the others didn't. He was also rather muscular and broad, just as Haldir was. Perhaps they were related.

She sat down on a patch of ground a few metres away, and watched him as he practiced, impressed with the accuracy and gentle skill with which he handled the bow.

After a while, it became apparent that he was demonstrating to the others how best to use the bow. The other elves were watching intently as he hit target after target, many completely wide-eyed at his easy skill.

After he had hit his last target and shouldered his bow, Alex clapped loudly.

The elves turned to look at her in curiosity and Alex suddenly felt as though she was intruding.

"You're very good!" Alex said, in explanation.

The archer simply frowned at her in confusion.

"Your archery, it was impressive," she reiterated.

"He does not understand you."

Alex turned her head to see Haldir approaching with a knowing smirk tugging at his peach lips.

"What do you mean?"

"He does not speak Westron," Haldir said as he sat next to her.

"Westron?"

"It is what we call your language here. My brother has never learned to speak it."

"Your brother?" Alex asked, looking back at the archer.

"Yes. Orophin."

"_Who is the woman, brother?"_ Orophin asked.

"_She is the sister of the Witch the Drow are holding prisoner. We are to keep her safe, Oro_," Haldir answered in Silvan.

"_She is… unusual. Can she shoot a bow?"_

"_I do not think so…"_

"_Perhaps she should learn?" Oro suggested._

"Would you like to learn how to shoot a bow?" Haldir asked her.

"Oh… I'm not sure I would be any good!"

"Oro is a good teacher. Just follow what he does," Haldir said as he pulled them both to their feet.

He walked her over to Oro and stepped back to watch as his brother handed her the bow and an arrow. Alex felt completely out of her depth as Oro stepped directly behind her and showed her how to hold the bow and arrow. He was stood so close to her, she could feel the heat of him against her back and her stomach flipped over when he placed a hand on her abdomen to straighten her posture.

When he was sure she had the right stance, he tapped on her shoulder to indicate she could fire. Surprisingly, she hit the target, though it was far off the centre.

After a few tries, Oro felt confident enough to step in front of her to watch her posture and make sure her elbow was kept high. He was impressed with how quickly she seemed to pick up the skill. She was far from perfect, but with practice, he believed that she would soon be quite competent.

"_She shows promise, Haldir,"_ Oro said confidently.

"_Perhaps you should continue to train her?"_ Haldir suggested.

"_I believe it would be wise, but, how are we to communicate? Does she speak Elvish?"_

"_No. You managed to show her without speaking. Just continue to show her what you need her to do. She will understand," _Haldir said as Alex hit the target again.

Oro nodded and turned back to his new student. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he'd sensed a closeness between the woman and his brother. If he was truly honest with himself, he could see why. She was certainly comely, and her hair and eyes were pleasant to look at.

"Alex, Celeborn asked for me to bring you to him. He wished to know more about your powers, and your sister's. He believes we should know as much as possible, if we are to have any success in retrieving her," Haldir said, offering his hand out to her.

"Oh… Okay. Thank you," she replied as she handed back the bow to Oro.

"You can return tomorrow. Oro has said he will train you with the bow, if you would like?"

"Oh! Yes, thank you!" Alex said happily, glad that she hadn't been hopeless.

"He is a proficient teacher. He teaches many of the Elflings."

"I forgot you had a brother," Alex commented as the walked.

"I have two."

"Two? Where is the other?"

"Rumil is currently on patrol on the borders of the city. His post will end soon," Haldir answered.

"Does he look like you?"

"Somewhat, though he is slightly smaller in build. Oro is the tallest of us, and the oldest. Rumil is the youngest."

"Lauren is younger than me. Only by two years."

"You are close to her?" he asked.

"Yes. I can't imagine what she must be going through now," Alex said forlornly as she hugged herself.

"Do not worry so. We will return her to you. Gandalf will return soon with Gondorian reinforcements, and a messenger has been despatched to Rivendell to ask for aid. The Drow will fall," Haldir said, his eyes fierce with sincerity.

Alex could only hope that he was right.

* * *

**A/N:** Hopefully the inspiration will stay for a while! I have big plans for this story!


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